The Premier Blog of the West

Congratulations To Blake Shelton, CMA’s 2012 Entertainer Of The Year

Congratulations to the man who currently graces the cover of Cowboys & Indians. According to the Country Music Association, he’s the genre’s top dog for the year.

That’s right: Big Blake Shelton took home three top-tier trophies at the CMA’s 46th annual awards show: Song of the Year (for “Over You,” which he wrote with his wife Miranda Lambert), Male Vocalist of the Year (third time in a row) and, dun dun dun, Entertainer of the Year (this was a first).

Shelton also gave a brilliantly loose performance of “Whiskey River” as part of an all-star Willie Nelson tribute that ended with the Red Headed Stranger taking the stage. And earlier, he’d cheered on Miranda as she took the prize for Female Vocalist of the Year, humbly and sweetly mentioning each of her competitors by name in her speech.

Other highlights of the star-studded night included Little Big Town’s double win for Single of the Year (“Pontoon”) and Vocal Group of the Year, Surprise victories for Hunter Hayes (New Artist) and Thompson Square (Vocal Duo), and a career-boosting Album of the Year trophy for Eric Church. Church's future is so bright … yeah, you know the rest.